Trim excess fat from the boneless chicken thighs and cut into 1–1.5 inch pieces. Pat dry and season lightly with 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper.

Make yogurt-tomato base

Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. In a bowl, whisk the plain Greek yogurt until smooth, then stir in the tomato paste and the canned diced tomatoes. Set aside.

Sear chicken

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken pieces in a single layer (work in batches if necessary). Sear until golden brown on both sides, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove chicken to a plate and reserve any browned bits in the pan.

Cook aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Add spices

Stir in ground cumin, ground coriander, sweet paprika, ground cinnamon and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, 1 minute to bloom the spices and combine with the onions.

Combine base and simmer

Return the seared chicken and any juices to the skillet. Pour in the yogurt–tomato mixture and the chicken broth, stirring to combine thoroughly. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially and simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.

Spices & Seasonings

During simmering taste the sauce and add remaining 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper (or adjust to taste). If the sauce looks too thick, add up to 2 tbs extra chicken broth to reach desired consistency.

Finish & Garnish

Finish with lemon and herbs

Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and chopped fresh cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Toast pine nuts

In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts until golden and fragrant, 2–3 minutes, shaking the pan frequently to avoid burning.

Serve

Spoon a shallow bed of plain yogurt on individual plates or a serving platter. Spoon the hot Tsahli over the yogurt. Sprinkle toasted pine nuts and additional chopped cilantro on top. Serve with rice, flatbread, or salad as desired.